The mummy of a 19-year-old who used to be mysteriously discovered lifeless on a South Carolina highway in 2015 says she intends to have his frame exhumed, with the announcement following state police officers reopening its investigation into his loss of life within the wake of the Alex Murdaugh murders.
Stephen Smith’s mom introduced her intent to exhume her son’s frame for additional exam in a GoFundMe account created previous this month.
“We want a brand new, independent take a look at his frame and a correct resolution of his reason for loss of life in response to details. There used to be no particles within the highway, and his accidents weren’t in step with a hit-and-run,” states the fundraising web page, which as of Sunday had raised just about greater than $46,000 over its preliminary purpose.
The verdict follows the South Carolina Legislation Enforcement Department (SLED) pronouncing in 2021 that it could reopen its investigation into Smith’s loss of life because of new data it had accumulated whilst investigating the double homicide of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh that very same 12 months.
The mummy and son had been discovered fatally shot in June of 2021 on their Colleton County searching assets, no longer some distance from the place Smith’s frame used to be discovered six years previous in Hampton County. The circle of relatives’s outstanding patriarch, Alex Murdaugh, used to be convicted within the murders remaining month.
SLED, which failed to in an instant reply to HuffPost’s request for remark Sunday, declined to offer element about its determination when reached via CNN.
“SLED has made development within the loss of life investigation of Stephen Smith,” the company mentioned. “Alternatively this investigation stays lively and ongoing.”
Smith used to be discovered mendacity in a highway on July 8, 2015, with blunt power trauma to his head. He used to be roughly 3 miles from his automotive, which used to be discovered deserted with its gasoline tank open, government mentioned on the time.
First responders on the scene concept his head harm may well be from a conceivable gunshot wound, however the coroner’s workplace in the end dominated his loss of life a hit-and-run, regardless of a couple of investigators disregarding this idea, in keeping with copies in their testimony bought via Spartanburg station WSPA.
“I noticed no automobile particles, skid marks, or accidents in step with any individual being struck via a automobile,” wrote one investigator, in keeping with the station. “After consulting with the [Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team], we see no proof to signify the sufferer used to be struck via a automobile.”
For years after his loss of life, pointers additionally got here in that connected Smith to the Murdaugh circle of relatives, the Greenville Information reported.
Smith’s mom, Sandy Smith, didn’t in an instant reply to a request for remark.